A choirmaster accused of molesting a 14-year-old pupil at Chetham’s School of Music fondled and ‘passionately’ kissed another teenage boarder in his office years later, a court heard.

Michael Brewer, 67, of Selly Oak, Birmingham, denies raping and indecently assaulting the complainant, who is now in her forties.

His ex-wife, Hilary Kay Brewer, 67, of Knowl Gap Avenue, Rossendale, denies charges of indecent assault and aiding and abetting rape following an allegation that she ‘instigated’ a sex attack on the complainant when they were living at Chorlton Green.

The jury in the couple’s Manchester Crown Court trial have been told that around 15 years after the allegations at the centre of the case, Mr Brewer was asked to leave his director of music post at Chetham’s after his affair with a 17-year-old pupil was exposed.

The court heard that the sixth-former was topless when the headmaster at the time, Rev Peter Hullah, knocked on Mr Brewer’s office door one evening.

The girl hurriedly got dressed but Rev Hullah saw her leaving through a back door, thought it ‘seemed strange’ and began investigation.

When confronted, Mr Brewer admitted a personal relationship had formed and resigned.

The former pupil, now in her thirties, has been called as a prosecution witness. She told the court the real reason for Brewer leaving was kept quiet by the school, with health reasons offered as an excuse.

The court heard that Mr Brewer contacted the woman’s mother and said he had ‘very real feelings’ for her daughter before leaving.

The woman also told court that in the days before the liaison was exposed Mr Brewer bought watches for her and himself from Argos, had them inscribed with their initials, and then arranged a meeting with Mrs Brewer where they showed her the watches.

The day after this, the court heard, Mr Brewer gave the girl a ‘Winnie the Pooh’ book which he said was a present from Mrs Brewer, inscribed with the message: “Don’t worry about things, he’s just a normal human being with all the same insecurities and doubts as you, Love Kay.”

The witness said: “I asked myself whether he could have written it because I found it so weird – here was his wife telling me this is OK and giving me a present – I couldn’t quite believe it.”

She described throwing his gifts away when she was older, feeling embarrassed and very uncomfortable about what had gone on.